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Books by and about 2020 presidential candidates
Crippled America,
by Donald J. Trump (2015)
Fire and Fury,
by Michael Wolff (2018)
Trump Revealed,
by Michael Kranish and Marc Fisher (2016)
The Making of Donald Trump,
by David Cay Johnston (2016)
Promise Me, Dad ,
by Joe Biden (2017)
The Book of Joe ,
by Jeff Wilser (2019; biography of Joe Biden)
The Truths We Hold,
by Kamala Harris (2019)
Smart on Crime,
by Kamala Harris (2010)
Guide to Political Revolution,
by Bernie Sanders (2017)
Where We Go From Here,
by Bernie Sanders (2018)
Our Revolution,
by Bernie Sanders (2016)
This Fight Is Our Fight,
by Elizabeth Warren (2017)
United,
by Cory Booker (2016)
Conscience of a Conservative,
by Jeff Flake (2017)
Two Paths,
by Gov. John Kasich (2017)
Every Other Monday,
by Rep. John Kasich (2010)
Courage is Contagious,
by John Kasich (1998)
Shortest Way Home,
by Pete Buttigieg (2019)
Becoming,
by Michelle Obama (2018)
Higher Loyalty,
by James Comey (2018)
The Making of Donald Trump,
by David Cay Johnston (2017)
Higher Loyalty ,
by James Comey (2018)
Trump vs. Hillary On The Issues ,
by Jesse Gordon (2016)
Outsider in the White House,
by Bernie Sanders (2015)

Book Reviews

(from Amazon.com)

(click a book cover for a review or other books by or about the presidency from Amazon.com)

State of Maine Politicians: Archives



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 OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)
Abortion
    Charlie Summers: Funding for research on existing embryonic stem cell lines.
    Charlie Summers: Must consider incest or rape.
    Angus King: Favors abortion rights; opposes defunding Planned Parenthood.
    Betsy Sweet: Protect a woman's right to choose.
    Bruce Poliquin: Pro-life and proud of it.
    Charlie Summers: Abortions should always be legal.
    Chris Lyons: Oppose abortion as an unrestricted right.
    Chris Lyons: Life is precious; abortion only if maternal life at risk.
    Eliot Cutler: Unequivocally pro-choice; allow abortions via MaineCare.
    Eric Brakey: Pro-life, and anti-ObamaCare.
    Eric Brakey: Oppose funding Planned Parenthood; require parental consent.
    Janet Mills: No comment on lawsuit to expand abortion access.
    Janet Mills: Stand in the way of efforts to undermine right to abortion.
    Mary Mayhew: Ban abortions after 20 weeks, like most developed nations.
    Matt Dunlap: Abortions should always be legally available.
    Mike Michaud: Evolved from pro-life to pro-choice over period of 30 years.
    Sara Gideon: Backed in primary by abortion-rights groups.
    Sara Gideon: Protect & expand access to women's reproductive care.
    Shawn Moody: Strongly pro-life: opposes any tax dollars for abortion.
    Shawn Moody: 2010: private choice; 2018: ban with exceptions.
    Susan Collins: Joined Democrats to fund Planned Parenthood.
    Susan Collins: End unfair copays charged to veterans for contraception.
    Zak Ringelstein: Publicly-funded reproductive healthcare for women.
Budget & Economy
    Charlie Summers: Wasteful spending, even on military, should be eliminated.
    Bruce Poliquin: Build a less intrusive and less expensive federal government.
    Chris Lyons: Market-led recovery better than stimulus.
    Eric Brakey: The government takes enough; we shouldn't raise taxes.
    Eric Brakey: Not just for economic freedom but also personal freedom.
    Janet Mills: Tax credit for new business will diversify economy.
    Janet Mills: History has shown that we cannot cut our way to prosperity.
    Janet Mills: Return half state surplus through direct checks to people.
    Mary Mayhew: Reduce taxes by deep budget cuts including family services.
    Matt Dunlap: Shore up availability of credit to stimulate job creation.
    Matt Dunlap: Shore up availability of credit to stimulate job creation.
    Paul LePage: Make the tough decisions to let American Dream survive.
    Paul LePage: Graded A by Cato Institute for cutting taxes, spending.
    Sara Gideon: COVID: prioritize small business, bolster unemployment funds.
    Susan Collins: We tried & failed in 2005 to tighten mortgage regulations.
    Tom Allen: Bush administration's debt has failed middle-class America.
    Tom Allen: Driving up debt & unbridled free market caused bank crisis.
Civil Rights
    Angus King: Supports gay marriage.
    Betsy Sweet: Equal pay for women; plus commission on racial justice.
    Charlie Summers: No same-sex marriage; defined by Constitutional Amendment.
    Charlie Summers: Affirmative action ok, but not in contracting decisions.
    Charlie Summers: Marriage is between a man and a woman.
    Chris Lyons: Comfortable with same-sex marriage.
    Chris Lyons: Education will achieve affirmative action, not law.
    Chris Lyons: Government should have no say on same-sex marriage.
    Eliot Cutler: Worked to uphold a law legalizing same-sex marriage.
    Eliot Cutler: Early and vocal supporter of Maine's marriage equality.
    Eric Brakey: Leave transgender bathroom policy up to local school board.
    Janet Mills: Decries proposal to eliminate Civil Rights Funding.
    Janet Mills: Proud that Maine was first to vote for gay marriage.
    Janet Mills: Enacted law banning conversion therapy for minors.
    Matt Dunlap: Include sexual orientation in anti-discrimination laws.
    Matt Dunlap: Affirmative action ok, but not on state contracts.
    Mike Michaud: Would be 1st openly gay governor; but evolved on LGBT rights.
    Paul LePage: Confederate monuments are about a war for land.
    Sara Gideon: Husband solicited to run for town council; she ran instead.
    Sara Gideon: Support LGBTQ+ people everywhere.
    Shawn Moody: Marriage is one man & one woman, but respect will of voters.
    Zak Ringelstein: Supports women's rights and equal pay for equal work.
    Zak Ringelstein: People have the right to love who they want.
Corporations
    Eliot Cutler: Examine corporate tax breaks; avoid clawbacks by better deal.
    Eric Brakey: Cut $400M in corporate welfare & return it to the people.
    Janet Mills: Won $21.5M settlement against S&P's mortgage practices.
    Mary Mayhew: Keeping government out of business creates good paying jobs.
    Paul LePage: Depreciate bonuses; reduce business tax rate to under 8%.
    Paul LePage: Capital investment goes where it is welcomed.
    Paul LePage: AdWatch 2010: only candidate from both business & government.
    Paul LePage: OpEd: Opposed to the basic functions of government.
    Paul LePage: Maine is "open for business" by "cutting red tape".
    Shawn Moody: Run the state like I've run my business.
    Shawn Moody: Address red tape; focus on recruiting businesses.
    Susan Collins: Excess corporate pay rewards risk-taking over results.
    Tea Party: OpEd: Opposed to the basic functions of government.
Crime
    Angus King: Opposes the death penalty.
    Angus King: More prisons, but more alternative sentencing.
    Charlie Summers: Mandatory jail for drug crimes; penalties for online crimes.
    Charlie Summers: Supports the federal death penalty.
    Chris Lyons: Stricter punishment doesn't reduce crime.
    Cynthia Dill: Alternative penalties for non-violent offenders.
    Eliot Cutler: Assure support services for victims of domestic violence.
    Eric Brakey: Being pro-life is why I oppose the death penalty.
    Janet Mills: Expand personnel to fight crime in courtrooms and computers.
    John Baldacci: End parole for repeat violent offenders.
    Mary Mayhew: imprisonment for life as a deterrent to crime.
    Matt Dunlap: Alternative penalties for non-violent offenders.
    Paul LePage: Victim's Compensation Fund to address domestic violence.
    Shawn Moody: Law enforcement needs all the right tools to catch criminals.
Drugs
    Betsy Sweet: Expand substance abuse treatment.
    Betsy Sweet: Legalize and promote industrial hemp.
    Charlie Baker: Opposed legalizing marijuana, but implemented it once passed.
    Charlie Summers: Mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
    Chris Lyons: Marijuana isn't a gateway drug.
    Eliot Cutler: Legalizing marijuana sends message that drug use is OK.
    Eliot Cutler: Legal pot makes drugs seem ok, but prohibition isn't working.
    Eric Brakey: Supports legalizing marijuana for recreational use.
    Eric Brakey: Supports Question 1: implement regulated marijuana market.
    James Boyle: Allow marijuana for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
    Janet Mills: Legalize recreational marijuana and bring in millions.
    Janet Mills: Investigate role of opioid manufacturers in drug abuse.
    Janet Mills: Signed 2019 law for regulating adult-use marijuana market.
    Mary Mayhew: Joint effort needed to provide effective drug treatment.
    Mike Michaud: Real concerns about the impact of pot legalization on kids.
    Mike Michaud: Legal pot makes drug more accessible to children and teens.
    Mike Thibodeau: Supports Question 1: implement regulated marijuana market.
    Mike Thibodeau: Allow marijuana for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
    Paul LePage: Mandatory drug testing for welfare recipients.
    Paul LePage: Upholding the law includes illegal marijuana.
    Paul LePage: Oppose legalizing marijuana for recreational use.
    Paul LePage: Veto implementation of regulated marijuana market.
    Sara Gideon: Treatment for opioid addiction; hold big pharma accountable.
    Sara Gideon: Voted to regulate marijuana legalization in Maine.
    Sara Gideon: Don't allow marijuana for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
    Shawn Moody: Strengthen criminal code & stem tide of illegal trafficking.
    Shawn Moody: Opposes legalizing recreational marijuana despite 2016 vote.
    Shenna Bellows: Supports marijuana legalization.
    Shenna Bellows: Three past presidents acknowledged use; legalize pot.
    Susan Collins: Provide prison inmates with drug addiction treatment.
    Susan Collins: Declines to take sides in marijuana legalization petition.
    Zak Ringelstein: Fighting Opioid epidemic begins with pharmaceutical reform.
Education
    Angus King: Public schools are the idea at the heart of democracy.
    Angus King: More teacher development; more school construction.
    Angus King: Include both abstinence and safe sex in sex-ed.
    Angus King: Simplify repayment & refinance student loans.
    Betsy Sweet: Pay teachers better; cut back on standardized tests.
    Bruce Poliquin: Expand from 10 charters to more parental choices.
    Charlie Summers: Supports vouchers, charters, magnet schools, standard tests.
    Chris Lyons: Vouchers for school choice.
    Cynthia Dill: More funding for schools, teachers, and Head Start.
    Eliot Cutler: Earlier schooling; longer school year; more school funding.
    Eliot Cutler: Pay it Forward, Pay it Back: tuition-free college.
    Eliot Cutler: Cautious support for virtual charter schools.
    Eliot Cutler: Try out Common Core standards before tweaking them.
    Eric Brakey: Support private schools, charter schools, or homeschooling.
    Eric Brakey: Competition will improve our schools.
    Janet Mills: Commission on Education Reform must follow open meetings law.
    Janet Mills: Expand pre-school; pay teachers a living wage.
    Janet Mills: Invest $126M in public schools, and $18M for child services.
    Janet Mills: Restore budget cuts to higher education.
    Janet Mills: $6 million in low/no interest loans for childcare facilities.
    Janet Mills: Make two years of community college free.
    Janet Mills: Met state's commitment to fund 55% of cost of education.
    Mary Mayhew: Parents should have access to multiple education choices.
    Paul LePage: Supports charter schools and virtual schools.
    Paul LePage: Strong support for charter schools, virtual or otherwise.
    Paul LePage: Virtual charter schools are not the right answer.
    Paul LePage: 2011: Signed onto Common Core, but now skeptical.
    Rick Perry: Denounced Common Core standards publicly.
    Sara Gideon: Access to high quality K-12 education for every family.
    Sara Gideon: Tackle student debt crisis; expand trade, technical training.
    Shawn Moody: Parental and local control in education curriculum.
    Shenna Bellows: Voucher programs siphon public school money.
    Susan Collins: Allow employers to help pay employee student debt.
    Tea Party: Common Core is "ObamaCore" or "Commie Core".
    Zak Ringelstein: Do away with school privatization; invest in public schools.
    Zak Ringelstein: Refinance student loans at lower rates.
Energy & Oil
    Betsy Sweet: Invest in solar, wind, hydro, mass transit, & electric cars.
    Bruce Poliquin: Fully develop all sources of domestic energy.
    Charlie Summers: Off-shore exploration for oil, plus nuclear and coal.
    Chris Lyons: Oppose prioritizing green energy.
    Cynthia Dill: Encourage conservation and renewable energy.
    Eliot Cutler: Burning fossil fuels is more and more problematic.
    Eliot Cutler: Reduce carbon emissions to Kyoto Protocol targets.
    Janet Mills: Wean ourselves off fossil fuels.
    Janet Mills: Maine to fight climate change and become green.
    Janet Mills: Combat climate change: offshore wind & electric incentives.
    Janet Mills: Bring back wind platforms to Maine.
    Janet Mills: Double Maine's clean energy jobs over next ten years.
    Mary Mayhew: Wind energy needs transparent commission, not moratorium.
    Matt Dunlap: Invest in weatherization programs and maintain LIHEAP.
    Paul LePage: Global warming helps Maine by opening north shipping lanes.
    Paul LePage: Build a natural gas pipeline from Canada.
    Paul LePage: Imposed a moratorium on new wind turbine permits.
    Paul LePage: Paid $7500 by lobbyists to advocate for hydropower corridor.
    Paul LePage: FactCheck: misinformed that windmills use electric motors.
    Sara Gideon: Bold, immediate action on climate change.
    Sara Gideon: Passed aggressive goals reducing carbon emissions in Maine.
    Sara Gideon: Rejoin Paris Agreement; invest in clean energy.
    Shawn Moody: Door's open to renewable energy, but no subsidies.
    Shawn Moody: Doesn't believe human activity contributes to climate change.
    Shenna Bellows: Green energy solutions instead of nuclear energy.
    Susan Collins: Double funding for low-income home weatherization programs.
    Tom Allen: 1%-interest loan for home weatherization projects.
    Zak Ringelstein: Curb emissions & return to Paris Agreement.
Environment
    Angus King: Support EPA brownfield program for industrial cleanup.
    Betsy Sweet: Reduce, re-use, recycle.
    Chris Lyons: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach.
    Eliot Cutler: Helped Senator Ed Muskie craft the Clean Air Act.
    Eliot Cutler: More bus services, dedicated HOV lanes, and bike routes.
    Janet Mills: Joins coalition to reject proposed cuts in funding to EPA.
    John Baldacci: 2003: Vetoed ban on foreign workers in logging industry.
    Mary Mayhew: Environmental stewardship that also respects businesses.
    Mike Michaud: AdWatch: Replace LePage with a pro-environment governor.
    Paul LePage: Abstain from EPA petition to cut Midwest emissions.
    Paul LePage: Change environmental laws to replace red tape with jobs.
    Paul LePage: Stop manufacturer recycling; start cost-benefit analyses.
    Paul LePage: Vetoed ban on foreign workers in logging industry.
    Paul LePage: Land preservation reduces tax revenue.
    Paul LePage: FactCheck: Maine EPA never counted buffaloes nor black flies.
    Paul LePage: Outsourced regulatory decisions to make the less harmful.
    Shawn Moody: Voluntarily adopted eco-friendly practices at Moody's.
    Zak Ringelstein: Believes in climate change and protecting our environment.
Families & Children
    Eliot Cutler: Empower women to succeed at home and at work.
    Janet Mills: More than $12 million to increase pay for childcare workers.
    Janet Mills: Budget will fully fund universal free meals in our schools.
    Paul LePage: Vetoed right to breast-fed at work.
    Shenna Bellows: Ran micro-credit program for Women in Development.
    Zak Ringelstein: Commit to fully funding disability programs.
    Zak Ringelstein: Families are the backbones to society and need full support.
Foreign Policy
    Chris Lyons: Oppose American Exceptionalism.
    Eliot Cutler: China's future is like America in 1890s: booming and growing.
    Eric Brakey: Crazy that we have our troops in 177 different countries.
    Eric Brakey: Deposing secular dictators in Mid-East empowers our enemies.
    Shenna Bellows: Served for two years in Peace Corps, in Panama.
    Susan Rice: Didn't want to be pigeonholed as "black working on Africa".
    Zak Ringelstein: America is best when working for global peace & partnerships.
Free Trade
    Bruce Poliquin: Promote trade and investment opportunities.
    Charlie Summers: Free trade yes, but sanctions on Venezuela.
    Charlie Summers: I support free trade, but protect shoe factories.
    Chris Lyons: Support & expand free trade.
    Cynthia Dill: Keep tariffs against foreign products that compete unfairly.
    Eric Brakey: I don't think tariffs are a good thing.
    Shenna Bellows: NAFTA damaged our manufacturing sector; so will TPP.
    Susan Collins: Some trade agreements have resulted in more tariffs.
    Susan Rice: US beneficiary of free trade; don't cede leadership to China.
    Tom Allen: Review existing trade agreements that damaged US economy.
    Zak Ringelstein: Protect economy from harmful international trade agreements.
Government Reform
    Angus King: Restrict and disclose all campaign donations & spending.
    Betsy Sweet: Only Democrat to use Maine's taxpayer-funded election system.
    Betsy Sweet: Publicly funded federal election system.
    Bruce Poliquin: 12-year term limit on members of Congress.
    Charlie Summers: OpEd: Pushes for voter registration, with his name on ballot.
    Chris Lyons: Make voter registration easier.
    Eric Brakey: Independent redistricting & automatic voter registration.
    Eliot Cutler: Oppose all efforts to restrict access to the ballot box.
    Janet Mills: Let college students vote where they attend college.
    Janet Mills: Undisclosed political money is corrosive to democracy.
    John Baldacci: Limit political campaign donations.
    Matt Dunlap: No campaign donation limits; just disclosure.
    Paul LePage: Investigate and report publicly on false campaign statements.
    Paul LePage: 2010: Voluntarily limited donors to $9,500, with disclosure.
    Paul LePage: 2013: no government transparency; no campaign disclosure.
    Paul LePage: Vetoed increased penalties on campaign finance disclosure.
    Sara Gideon: $500 fine for campaign finance ethics violation.
    Sara Gideon: Worked in Maine to pass automatic voter registration.
    Sara Gideon: End influence of big money on our elections and officials.
    Shenna Bellows: Funding her campaign $5 at a time from local events.
    Susan Collins: Reform public financing system to get more opt-in.
    Susan Collins: Outrageous for IRS to target Tea Party groups.
    Susan Rice: Supports National Voter Registration Day.
    Tea Party: More power is being taken by government.
    Zak Ringelstein: Ultra rich are buying our elected leaders & control policy.
    Zak Ringelstein: Protect democracy from corrupting influence of big money.
    Zak Ringelstein: Independent redistricting & automatic voter registration.
    Zak Ringelstein: Overturn Citizens United; disclose campaign donations.
Gun Control
    Angus King: Supports gun rights.
    Bruce Poliquin: Strong supporter of the Second Amendment.
    Charlie Summers: Allow individuals to carry concealed guns.
    Chris Lyons: Absolute right to gun ownership.
    Eric Brakey: Bipartisan Republican leads the charge to less gun control.
    Eric Brakey: The second amendment is essential for liberty.
    Eliot Cutler: Restrict access to firearms via universal background checks.
    Eric Brakey: Oppose background checks for individual gun transfers.
    Eric Brakey: Allow concealed carry guns without a permit.
    Janet Mills: Ban bump stocks and high-capacity magazine.
    Jared Golden: Oppose concealed carry without a permit.
    John Baldacci: Allow concealed carry.
    Mary Mayhew: Pro gun ownership and armed guards wherever needed.
    Matt Dunlap: Ease or repeal restrictions on purchase & possession of guns.
    Mike Thibodeau: Allow concealed carry guns without a permit.
    Paul LePage: Allow concealed carry guns without a permit.
    Sara Gideon: Endorsed by Everytown for Gun Safety for gun-sense majority.
    Sara Gideon: Oppose concealed carry without a permit.
    Shawn Moody: Pro 2nd Amendment; wants armed officials in high schools.
    Shawn Moody: Right to bear arms "shall never be questioned.
    Shenna Bellows: Was NRA member, but left because they became too extreme.
    Zak Ringelstein: Most Americans wants gun control but NRA stops it.
Health Care
    Betsy Sweet: Supports universal coverage including alternative therapies.
    Bruce Poliquin: Replace ObamaCare with cross-state & group insurance.
    Chris Lyons: Oppose ObamaCare.
    Chris Lyons: Insurance companies benefit from ObamaCare; people don't.
    Cynthia Dill: Medicaid and Medicare programs need to be strengthened.
    Eliot Cutler: Universal access to essential health care services.
    Eric Brakey: Apply principles of freedom to broken healthcare system.
    Eric Brakey: Do better than backdoor deals that led to ObamaCare.
    Janet Mills: Her office took on drug manufacturer Mylan on price gouging.
    Janet Mills: Medicaid expansion helps everyone.
    Janet Mills: Expanding MaineCare helps needy & helps hospitals.
    John Baldacci: Ensure access to basic health care.
    Mary Mayhew: Absolutely opposed to Medicaid expansion.
    Matt Dunlap: ObamaCare individual mandate is constitutional.
    Paul LePage: MaineCare recipients contribute to statewide health coverage.
    Paul LePage: Budgetary limits on Medicaid expansion.
    Paul LePage: COVID: Spoke against shutdown while quarantined in car.
    Paul LePage: Almost eradicated public health nursing in Maine.
    Paul LePage: ObamaCare will make IRS into Gestapo enforcers.
    Sara Gideon: Public option for Medicare, but not Medicare-for-All.
    Sara Gideon: Complete the work started under Affordable Care Act.
    Sara Gideon: Reduce prescription costs; protect pre-existing conditions.
    Sara Gideon: Let government negotiate to lower cost of drugs.
    Sara Gideon: Strongly oppose raising Medicare eligibility age.
    Sara Gideon: Let Medicare negotiate drug prices; allow imports.
    Shawn Moody: Citizen referendum decided Medicaid expansion: make it work.
    Shawn Moody: Wants health insurance open to competition amongst states.
    Shenna Bellows: Supports ObamaCare & universal health coverage.
    Susan Collins: Helped pass law lowering drug prices, speeding generics.
    Susan Collins: Improve advance transparency on medical billing.
    Susan Collins: Authored law letting pharmacists help patients save money.
    Susan Collins: Strong supporter of home care.
    Zak Ringelstein: ObamaCare helped; but supports Medicare single payer.
Homeland Security
    ACLU: Require a warrant to get location info from cell phones.
    Angus King: Ok to target suspected terrorists outside of war zones.
    Bruce Poliquin: NSA tracking of US citizens violates 4th Amendment.
    Bruce Poliquin: Top spending priority is full financing of military.
    Charlie Summers: Military tribunals for terrorists; deploy National Guard.
    Chris Lyons: Don't expand the military.
    Cynthia Dill: Cut military spending such as weapons systems.
    Cynthia Dill: Opposes unlimited detention of terror suspects.
    Eric Brakey: Apply limited government philosophy to the military.
    James Boyle: Require a warrant to get location info from cell phones.
    Mary Mayhew: Veterans should get all benefits earned, in a timely manner.
    Mike Thibodeau: Don't require warrant to get location info from cell phones.
    Paul LePage: Wreaths Across America: thank our men and women in uniform.
    Paul LePage: Don't require warrant to get location info from cell phones.
    Sara Gideon: Make sure that services vets have earned remain available.
    Sara Gideon: Require a warrant to get location info from cell phones.
    Shawn Moody: Stand behind veterans: offer school, jobs and services.
    Shenna Bellows: No spying on foreign leaders NOR on ordinary Americans.
    Shenna Bellows: Snowden was a whistle-blower, not a criminal.
    Shenna Bellows: We cannot afford to be the world's policemen.
    Shenna Bellows: NSA should target only based on individualized suspicion.
    Susan Collins: No justification for spying on Germany's chancellor.
    Susan Collins: Cuts in defense are very troubling to me personally.
    Susan Collins: Mass surveillance justified by national security.
    Susan Collins: Mass unwarranted surveillance is never justified.
    Susan Collins: Increase transparency of NSA but keep NSA programs.
    Zak Ringelstein: Veterans need homes and proper health care; they earned it.
Immigration
    Betsy Sweet: Pay for transition costs of new Mainers.
    Bruce Poliquin: Legal immigration is good for America; illegal isn't.
    Charlie Summers: No citizenship for illegals; yes temporary worker visas.
    Chris Lyons: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens.
    Eric Brakey: Secure the border and keep immigrants off welfare.
    Eric Brakey: We must put our citizens first.
    Janet Mills: Condemns President's ban on refugees.
    Jean Hay Bright: Clamp down on undocumented workers via employers.
    Mary Mayhew: Slash funds for new immigrants & asylum seekers.
    Paul LePage: Welcome immigrants, but no welfare for legal non-citizens.
    Paul LePage: Build border fence as high as the Great Wall of China.
    Sara Gideon: Urged support for DREAM Act.
    Sarah Palin: Has not often expressed views on illegal immigration.
    Shawn Moody: Work with federal officials against illegal immigrants.
    Susan Collins: Co-sponsored bill for path to citizenship for DREAMers.
    Zak Ringelstein: Welcomes immigrants as assets to both society and economy.
Jobs
    Angus King: Keep 900 shoe factory jobs in Maine.
    Angus King: Protected jobs in forests & Bath Iron Works.
    Angus King: Supports federal minimum wage increase; but not $15.
    Betsy Sweet: Supports $15 minimum wage and strong unions.
    Chris Lyons: Oppose affirmative action in hiring.
    Eliot Cutler: Zealously guard against interference in unionization efforts.
    Eric Brakey: Oppose increasing minimum wage; it takes out the bottom rung.
    Eric Brakey: Restrict employer's access to employee social media accounts.
    Eric Brakey: Employers can pay tipped workers half minimum wage.
    Janet Mills: Scholarships & boosted retirement benefits for firefighters.
    Janet Mills: Raise minimum wage to $12 by 2020.
    Janet Mills: Goal: 100% of students have option of paid internships.
    Jared Golden: Fought for fair and equal pay, in state legislature.
    Jared Golden: Restrict employer's access to employee social media accounts.
    Jared Golden: Don't limit tipped workers to half minimum wage.
    Jean Hay Bright: Raise the minimum wage, then adjust it annually.
    Mike Michaud: AdWatch: Unions endorse Michaud "to represent Maine workers".
    Mike Thibodeau: Restrict employer's access to employee social media accounts.
    Mike Thibodeau: Employers can pay tipped workers half minimum wage.
    Paul LePage: Reduce red tape for permitting for principled job creators.
    Paul LePage: Vetoed incrementally raising the state's minimum wage.
    Paul LePage: Are low-wage call-center jobs the kind we want?
    Paul LePage: Allow employer's access to employee social media accounts.
    Paul LePage: Employers can pay tipped workers half minimum wage.
    Paul LePage: Able-bodied Maine residents are refusing to work.
    Sara Gideon: Prioritize needs of small businesses; raise minimum wage.
    Sara Gideon: Restrict employer's access to employee social media accounts.
    Sara Gideon: Don't limit tipped workers to half minimum wage.
    Sara Gideon: Co-sponsored bill to give unions access to public employees.
    Shawn Moody: Make it easier for job creators: create a service hotline.
    Shawn Moody: Roll back minimum wage increase.
    Shenna Bellows: Increase minimum wage to make it a living wage.
    Susan Collins: For Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act.
    Zak Ringelstein: Create jobs by investment in land grants and infrastructure.
    Zak Ringelstein: Increase minimum wage to $15/hour & tie to inflation.
Principles & Values
    Chris Lyons: Keep God in the public sphere.
    Chris Lyons: Personal belief in God is fine; government action is not.
    Janet Mills: We are not Washington; we are Maine.
    Janet Mills: Brother, a State Senator, ran for governor in 2010.
    Paul LePage: Tea Party dominance over New England Republicanism.
    Paul LePage: First language is French; grew up in Little Canada region.
    Sara Gideon: Public service is about improving the lives of people.
    Sara Gideon: Courts pushed to the right, favors independent judiciary.
    Shenna Bellows: Head of Maine ACLU, and community organizer.
    Shenna Bellows: Calls herself a progressive libertarian.
    Susan Collins: Focuses on seniority & forging bipartisan solutions.
    Susan Collins: Nine is good number for seats on Supreme Court.
    Susan Rice: Fierce love of country should override disagreements.
    Tea Party: 2010 Tea Party victories grew to 2014 Republican dominance.
    Paul LePage: 2020 election was clearly stolen, and so was 2018.
Social Security
    Bruce Poliquin: Adjustments to future retirees, but not current ones.
    Charlie Summers: Invest portion of workers' payroll tax in private accounts.
    Charlie Summers: Remove disability coverage from Social Security.
    Chris Lyons: Privatize Social Security.
    Cynthia Dill: Stop raiding Social Security Trust Fund.
    Eliot Cutler: Support & strengthen the foundations for Social Security.
    Jean Hay Bright: "Promote the General Welfare" is our founding principle.
    Matt Dunlap: Remove cap on earnings to sustain system.
    Mike Michaud: Soc. Sec. & Medicare secure retirement; they're not welfare.
    Paul LePage: Medicare and Social Security are really just welfare.
    Paul LePage: Keep our promise; don't tax Social Security.
    Paul LePage: Cut pension cost-of-living increases to reduce other taxes.
    Sara Gideon: Protect Social Security, Medicare from cuts & privatization.
    Sara Gideon: Raise the earning cap so wealthiest pay their fair share.
    Scott D`Amboise: Option to invest in private retirement program.
    Shenna Bellows: Scrap the cap; apply payroll tax over $113,700.
    Shenna Bellows: Scrap the Cap: highest-paid Americans pay their fair share.
    Susan Collins: Foundation of retirement income for most Americans.
    Zak Ringelstein: Social Security needs expansion; seniors need more benefits.
Tax Reform
    Angus King: Decrease income taxes, but no flat tax.
    Betsy Sweet: Level the playing field; more taxes for the top 20%.
    Bruce Poliquin: Reduce taxes to create jobs.
    Chris Lyons: Oppose higher taxes on the wealthy.
    Cynthia Dill: Require the wealthy to pay their fair share.
    Eliot Cutler: Shift burden from property tax as part of strategic reform.
    Eric Brakey: Voted against raising the lodging tax to 10.5%.
    Eric Brakey: No additional 3% tax on income above $200,000.
    Mary Mayhew: Cut tax burden for employers.
    Paul LePage: End marriage penalty; increase personal exemptions.
    Paul LePage: Threatened to veto bills unless state income tax abolished.
    Paul LePage: No to treating forgivable PPP loans as taxable state income.
    Paul LePage: Reduced state income tax to 4%; would prefer 0%.
    Paul LePage: As mayor: keep state taxes; as governor: cut state taxes.
    Sara Gideon: Roll back Trump tax cuts; breaks for hardworking families.
    Shawn Moody: You can't tax young people if we want to attract them here.
    Shawn Moody: Tight N'Up spending; reduce income tax; provide transparency.
    Zak Ringelstein: GOP tax bill did little for those that needed it the most.
Technology
    Eliot Cutler: Invest capital in our backbone infrastructure.
    Eric Brakey: Net Neutrality is heavy-handed government control.
    Janet Mills: $2M for broadband; $5M for rural development.
    Janet Mills: Proposes $15 million to expand broadband.
    Janet Mills: Loss of net neutrality is a giveaway to huge corporations.
    Janet Mills: High speed internet as fundamental as electricity.
    Janet Mills: Universal high-speed internet for Maine by 2024.
    Paul LePage: New website to see how Maine tax dollars are spent.
    Shenna Bellows: Total Information Awareness undermines our democracy.
    Zak Ringelstein: Create federal law protecting net neutrality.
War & Peace
    Charlie Summers: Keep troop levels high in Iraq until "peace surge".
    Bruce Poliquin: Congress' approval before going to war; stay out of Syria.
    Charlie Summers: More support for Afghanistan; more sanctions for North Korea.
    Charlie Summers: Iraq & Afghanistan have taken a turn for the positive.
    Chris Lyons: Avoid foreign entanglements.
    Cynthia Dill: Afghanistan is not as irresponsible as was Iraq.
    Eric Brakey: Learn from the past: we don't need another Mideast war.
    Eric Brakey: Ok to withdraw from Iran nuke deal so Trump can negotiate.
    Matt Dunlap: We cannot stand by while Syria slaughters its citizens.
    Matt Dunlap: Iraq war was poorly thought out and enormously expensive.
    Sara Gideon: Congress must provide oversight over military action.
    Sarah Palin: Generally supportive of America's presence in Iraq.
    Scott D`Amboise: Time to bring our troops home from Afghanistan.
    Susan Collins: Exert economic pressure on Iran to stop its nuclear program.
    Susan Rice: Benghazi investigations became "gotcha" game.
    Susan Rice: We sold out the Kurds in Syria.
    Susan Rice: National security endangered by lack of communication.
    Susan Rice: Small U.S. military presence in Syria fought ISIS threat.
    Tom Allen: We need strong economic sanctions against Iran.
    Zak Ringelstein: Favors diplomacy against potential nuclear threats.
Welfare & Poverty
    ACLU: Critical to let immigrants receive public assistance.
    Bruce Poliquin: War on Poverty has failed after spending $16 trillion.
    Charlie Summers: Welfare recipients must work or train 40 hours a week.
    Cynthia Dill: Increased work requirements for able-bodied recipients.
    Eliot Cutler: Never abandon citizens who are unemployed, ill, or hungry.
    Eliot Cutler: We need welfare reform but not demonization of recipients.
    Eric Brakey: Disallow using food stamps to purchase junk food.
    Eric Brakey: Allow some immigrants to receive public assistance.
    Janet Mills: Demands release of publically funded welfare study.
    Janet Mills: Build nearly 1000 more affordable homes over 8 years.
    Jared Golden: Allow some immigrants to receive public assistance.
    Mary Mayhew: Auditor: DHHS improperly managed federal welfare funds.
    Mary Mayhew: Time limits on welfare benefits, to promote employment.
    Matt Dunlap: Expand state services to include the working poor.
    Mike Thibodeau: Allow some immigrants to receive public assistance.
    Paul LePage: End welfare-on-day-one: No instant eligibility for benefits.
    Paul LePage: Maine's TANF welfare system is too generous.
    Paul LePage: Maine grew at 0.8% if we discount federal welfare payments.
    Paul LePage: Give people in need a hand up; don't give unneeded hand-outs.
    Paul LePage: Expanding welfare entitlements is not compassionate.
    Paul LePage: Five tiers to welfare; keep more when you earn more.
    Sara Gideon: Allow some immigrants to receive public assistance.
    Shawn Moody: Lifetime cap on welfare; with strong fraud detection.
    Shenna Bellows: No one in Washington stands up for people who are hurting.
    Susan Collins: Block grants for state and local flexibility in welfare.


The above quotations are from State of Maine Politicians: Archives.

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